Court issues non-bailable warrants against Thackeray, Parkar for non-appearance

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court today issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) against Maharashtra Navanirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and its spokesperson Shirish Parkar on a complaint about their alleged hate speeches against the people of Bihar.

The court also rejected their plea for exemption from personal appearance in the case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Devendra Kumar Sharma issued NBWs against Thackeray and Parkar for August 24.

The ACMM had last month also directed them to appear before him in person while rejected Thackeray's plea for exemption after he had contended that he is unable to attend the court as he has been provided Y-category security.

The court had then held that he has already been provided security and so he is supposed to appear before the court.

Parkar was, however, exempted earlier due to medical resons.

The court passed the order on a complaint filed by advocate Premchandra Jaiswal, who is a member of Bihar State Bar Council, Patna, against the MNS chief's alleged hate speeches against the people of Bihar and "demeaning" their religious festival of Chhath and also his party workers initmidating them.

The case was initially filed before a court in Patna in 2008 and summoning orders and non-bailable warrants were also issued against the accused persons. The case was later transferred to Delhi in 2010 by the Supreme Court along with similar other complaints filed against Thackeray for allegedly making hate speeches on the plea of MNS chief.